Epistaxis is a frequent reason for emergency room visits. Epistaxis has been reported to occur in one of seven people in the United States. Epistaxis is more common in colder months and fry environments. The is a bimodal peak in the occurrence of epistaxis in those aged between 1-2 years and in those aged between 50-80 years. Mortality is rare but may occur due to hypovolemia and severe blood loss. Nasal packing is associated with increased morbidity. This includes sinusitis, septal haematoma or perforation, external nasal deformity, mucosal pressure necrosis, vasal-vagal episodes or balloon migration. Packing will usually cause airway compromise. Packing also may lead to infection. The most common strategies to achieve nasal packing are; VASELINE™ gauze packing, MEROCEL™ compressed sponges, and epistaxis balloons which may be either anterior (single) or anterior-posterior (double).
Some existing epistaxis packs are not pressurized. Those that are pressurized do not have a means to measure or to maintain pressure other than tactile feedback (i.e. feeling how tight the balloon is). Over inflation of epistaxis devices can cause necrosis of nasal tissues. Under inflation will render the devices ineffective. The pressure in the device may need to be maintained at various levels for extended periods of time. It will likely be useful to titrate the device pressure in relation to the patient's systolic and diastolic blood pressures. What is needed is a epistaxis device which allows for accurate pressurizing of the nasal cavity. The sphygmomanometer (blood-pressure) cuff is available in every medical treatment facility and at every hospital bedside. The sphygmomanometer cuff accurately reflects the pressure within the device very precisely in mm Hg. The sphygmomanometer allows for both accurate pressuring and precise pressure variation. Epistaxis devices are generally disposable. It is challenging to economically and cost-effectively provide a disposable epistaxis device which can accurately measure and regulate nasal pressure. What is needed is an epistaxis device which is easily attachable to a conventional sphygmomanometer so that the pressure pump, the pressure gauge, and the finely controlled air bleeding control of the sphygmomanometer can be used to accurately inflate and finely tune the air pressure within a disposable epistaxis device.